Heretofore, internal combustion engine testers of this type have had the following arrangement: Support legs for supporting an internal combustion engine to be tested are erected on a base block. And an internal combustion engine supported on the support legs is covered with a cover device.
More particularly, the cover device comprises fixed covers for covering the front and rear of the supported internal combustion engine, and a movable cover for covering the opposite lateral sides and top of the internal combustion engine. The fixed covers are formed of stainless steel plate and fixedly erected on the base block. The movable cover is formed of stainless steel plate and is gate-shaped as seen in front view, comprising opposed lateral plates and a top plate connected between the upper ends of said lateral plates. The lower ends of said movable cover have wheels attached thereto to run on rails laid on the base block. Thus, the movable cover is movable between a closed position which is between said fixed covers and an opened position located rearwardly of the rear fixed cover as it is supported and guided by the rails through the wheels. A starter for starting the internal combustion engine is installed rearwardly of the rear fixed cover.
According to this arrangement, in testing an internal combustion engine, the movable cover is slid to the closed position for closing operation. Thereby, the front and rear of the internal combustion engine are covered with the fixed covers and its lateral sides and top are covered with the movable cover. Thereafter, the internal combustion engine is started by the starter to make various tests. At this time, the noise from the internal combustion engine is shut in the cover device. After test, tile movable cover is slid to the open position for opening operation and the internal combustion engine is taken out upwardly from between the fixed covers.
With this conventional type, however, after the movable cover has been slid rearwardly for opening operation, the fixed covers remain fixed on the base block; therefore, there has been a problem that a sufficiently wide operating space cannot be secured. To solve this problem, it would be contemplated to slide the fixed covers together with the movable cover. However, to enable the front fixed cover to avoid colliding with the internal combustion engine, it has to be moved in a direction different from that for the movable cover, a solution which complicates the construction.
Further, since the movable cover is rearwardly slid for opening operation, a cover opening space of approximately the same length and width as those of the movable cover is required rearwardly of the testing space for the internal combustion engine; thus, there has been a problem that the tester installation space is extremely increased lengthwise.
Another problem is that when the movable cover is opened, the movable cover which has been slid and stopped forms an obstacle interfering with the operation. Further, since the fixed covers and movable cover are made of stainless steel, the internal combustion engine housed in the covers cannot be seen therethrough; therefore, if a failure takes place in the internal combustion engine, it has been difficult for the operator to find it quickly.
Further, when the movable cover is moved for closing operation, there is a danger of operator's fingers being caught between the closing end of the movable cover and the front fixed cover. Further, the heat produced by the internal combustion engine during test remains in the cover device, making it difficult to control the temperature in the cover device.